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Rotel dip is one of those recipes that disappears fast once the chips hit the table. I load mine with seasoned ground beef, three cheeses, red onion, tomatoes, and jalapeños. Everything melts together into a creamy, cheesy dip that makes standing around the baking dish feel completely reasonable.
If you love cheesy dips try my Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip and Elote Dip Recipe (Mexican Street Corn Dip + VIDEO).
Ingredient Breakdown
- Ground Beef – Makes the dip hearty without overpowering the cheese.
- Garlic Powder – Seasons the beef with garlic flavor.
- Cumin – Adds a warm, earthy flavor that works well with the beef.
- Chili Powder – Creates savory flavor and a little warmth.
- Red Onion – Promotes flavor and a little texture throughout the dip.
- Velveeta Cheese – Necessary to create the smooth and creamy cheese base.
- Cream Cheese – Adds richness and gives the dip a thicker texture.
- Pepper Jack Cheese – For extra cheese flavor and a little heat.
- Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies – Use rotel for tomatoes, green chilies, and acidity that balance the rich cheese.
- Pickled Jalapeños – Add jalapeños based on your preferred spice level. I like pickled because they are soft and add acidity.
- Tortilla Chips – Serve the dip with sturdy tortilla chips that can hold plenty of melted cheese and beef.
Recipe Variations
Change the meat. Rotel dip is great with ground beef, but you can always change the protein. Try ground chorizo or hot Italian sausage. I’ve tried this recipe with both and it’s so delicious.
No tortilla chips, no problem. For dipping try using crackers or celery sticks instead of tortilla chips. Flavored tortilla chips are also tasty to use, like nacho cheese Doritos.
It doesn’t have to be a dip. Sometimes I’ll make rotel dip just for quesadillas. Take the rotel dip, fill a quesadilla tortilla with it and pan fry on each side.
Recipe Tips
- Mix halfway through. I keep the ingredients separate at first, then stir everything together halfway through baking. Stirring helps the cheeses melt together and distributes the beef, tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños throughout the dip.
- Adjust the spice level. Pepper jack and jalapeños both add heat. Adjust the jalapeños based on your preferred spice level. I always start with a small amount of jalapeños. Using pickled jalapeños is great because you can totally add more after baking the dip.
Storage & Reheating
- Storage. Store in an airtight container once the dip is cooled. Rotel dip will last in the fridge for up to four days.
- Reheating. Gently reheat rotel dip over medium heat in a saucepan on the stove. I like to add a splash of milk to loosen things up. Stir occasionally until warmed and smooth. Alternatively, you can reheat the dip in a microwave safe bowl until warmed through and stir once complete.
Please remember to leave a review if you make this recipe. The feedback helps me to become a better cook and develop amazing recipes for you.
Rotel Dip
Ingredients
- ½ lb Ground beef
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ red onion, diced
- 8 oz Velveeta cheese , cubed
- 4 oz Cream cheese , cubed
- 8 oz Pepper jack cheese , cubed
- ½ can diced tomatoes with chilies, rotel
- Pickled jalapenos, add to your preferred spice level
- Chips for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat a pan over medium high heat and once hot add the ground beef. Brown the ground beef and break up into smaller pieces with a spoon or spatula as it cooks. Drain any excess fat. Season the ground beef with the garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- To a 9×9 or 8×8 baking dish add the ground beef, onion, velveeta cheese, cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, rotel and jalapenos. I like to place each ingredient separately to start instead of mixed together.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir halfway through then put back in the oven to finish cooking. Stir again once finished. Serve with chips, eat and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to make rotel dip
Preheat the oven: Heat your oven to 350°F.
Brown & season the beef: Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef once the pan gets hot. Cook the beef while breaking it into small pieces with a spoon or spatula. Drain any excess fat from the pan once the beef finishes browning. Add garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Stir everything together, then remove the pan from heat.
Assemble the dip: Add the seasoned ground beef to an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. Add red onion, Velveeta, cream cheese, pepper jack, Rotel, and jalapeños. Keep each ingredient separate at first.
Bake the dip: Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Stir halfway: Stir the dip after 15 minutes. Return it to the oven and finish baking.
Finish the dip: Stir everything together again once the cheeses finish melting. Serve the baked Rotel dip hot with tortilla chips.
